By your thread heading I'm assuming you are asking about front struts and not rear shocks. The first question is going to be, "are you installing quick struts that already have the springs installed or are you putting your original strut springs on new strut cartridges"?
Your first step will be to stop at your local O'reilly or Autozone and borrow their loaner strut spring compressor. (They require a deposit but give you a full refund when you return the tools in a timely manner).
1) Remove your front skid plate.
2) Raise one of your front wheels like you are changing a tire and SUPPORT THE VEHICLE WITH A JACK STAND. This removes tension from the front sway bar.
3) Remove the raised wheel.
4) Disconnect the front sway bar link at each wheel.
5) Disconnect the two sway bar hangers at the frame up under where the skid plate mounts. (This gets the sway bar out of the way to provide clearance to pull the strut forward and clear the CV joint bellows and lower control arm).
6) Loosen the three smaller nuts on the top of the strut mount. Don't remove them all the way. You may need to support the bottom of the lower control arm, then remove the three nuts all the way. (WARNING ..... DO NOT LOOSEN OR REMOVE THE LARGE NUT IN THE CENTER ON TOP OF THE STRUT AT THIS TIME !!!)
7) Remove the large bolt that goes through the bottom of the strut and be careful not to tear the CV Joint boot if you have a 4X4 (If there is still string tension on the strut that won't allow you to easily pull the bolt out install the spring compressors to remove some tension and then remove the bolt).
8) Slide the strut out bottom first toward the front of the vehicle. (You may need to lower the lower control arm if you supported it during step 6).
9) If you are replacing just the strut cartridge this is the time to compress the spring far enough to get the tension off the large top nut, remove the nut, remove the upper strut mount, slip the spring onto the new strut cartridge, install the upper strut mount on the new strut cartridge, reinstall the large top nut and install the assembly back in the vehicle. Align the three studs on top of the strut mount into their respective mounting holes as you install the strut.
10) If you are installing a quick strut with spring already installed then remove the spring compressor from the original strut spring, install the strut spring compressor on the new quick strut and compress it just enough to install it back in the vehicle. Align the three studs on top of the strut mount into their respective mounting holes as you install the strut.
11) Install the large lower bolt.
12) Loosen the spring compressor and remove it.
13) Install the three nuts on top of the three studs on top of the strut mount.
14) Reinstall the front wheel and lower the vehicle.
15) Repeat this process on the opposite side of the vehicle.
16) Reinstall the sway bar hangers and apply a light coating of grease where they move in the rubber bushings.
17) Reconnect the sway bar links at each wheel.
18) Reinstall the front skid plate.
19) Test drive the vehicle and return the loaned strut spring compressor.

Note: If you are removing X-REAS struts you will also need to disconnect the oil line connected to the strut. The line may be under some pressure so wear safety glasses and put a drip pan down below the fitting. If you are installing new X-REAS struts I have read that they need to be disconnected at very specific fittings. There is an write up online regarding which fittings to disconnect on the X-REAS oil lines in order to keep the system functional.

Please message me back and let me know the paint code on both of your front strut springs when you do the work. Thanks!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to post this. I couldn’t find these instructions anywhere short of buying a manual. The videos I saw had me loosening the control arm bolts and swinging it out of the way.

 

Please pay attention as you loosen things. If you feel tension on the sway bar link do not disconnect it until you have the vehicle lifted to a height that removes the tension. Same goes for the strut springs, do not remove that large top nut from the strut until you have the spring compressed just enough to get the tension off of the strut mount and orient the spring on the new strut so the tip of the bottom coil aligns with the detent in the rubber on the new strut and the upper strut mount. It would be a good idea to watch a Youtube video of a strut spring replacement prior to tackling this. Good luck.

 

Not sure what you were searching for; search for Gen 5 4Runner suspension:

 

I got the information I needed. Thanks.

 

I left out one important step in my instructions. When you rent the spring compressor from the auto parts store also get a clamp type tie rod end removal tool. You will need to push the tie rod end out of the spindle to gain some clearance for the Strut to come out. I apologize for omitting that step.